Vegan Gardener's Pie is a deliciously elevated plant-based version of a classic shepherd's pie comfort dish. Filled with mushrooms, lentils, onions, carrots & peas in a rich gravy and topped with mashed potatoes and cauliflower. Hearty and so satisfying!
What could be more inviting than coming home to one of these veggie & potato filled mini casseroles? This is comfort food known as vegan shepherd's pie, or as I prefer to call it, Gardener's Pie.
I've always loved savory one-dish meals baked in individual servings. There's just something so cozy and appealing about enjoying a toasty hot veggie & tofu pot pie or broccoli cheese pot pie on a cold night.
★★★★★ "Soooooo delicous and so easy to make. This will be on my list to remake throughout the winter." Julie
Table of Contents
What is Shepherd's Pie?
Shepherd's Pie is a popular one-dish meal that originated in the UK at least two-hundred years ago. Created as a way to stretch leftovers, the traditional version of shepherd's pie consists of meat, gravy and vegetables baked with a toasty topping of mashed potatoes. Visit a British or Irish pub and chances are you'll find shepherd's pie on the menu.
What is Gardener's Pie?
Sometimes also referred to as shepherd-less pie, most vegan shepherd's pie or gardener's pie recipes contain many of the same ingredients as a traditional version, but without meat or dairy products. For this recipe, we have replaced the meat with lentils and use vegan butter and non-dairy milk in the mashed potatoes & cauliflower. We also made sure to use a vegan-friendly stout (believe it or not, many beers are not vegan).
Why you will love this gardener's pie recipe
- It's a complete meal in a single dish
- Loaded with healthy ingredients
- 100% vegan
- A delicious plant-based spin on a traditional shepherd's pie
- The perfect vegan dish for St. Patrick's day or any day!
🥕 Ingredients
🥕See the printable recipe card below for quantities & details
- Mushrooms - white or cremini
- Leeks
- Garlic - fresh or dried minced
- Carrots -fresh or frozen
- Lentils - green
- Vegetable broth
- Potatoes - Yukon gold or russet
- Cauliflower - fresh or frozen (Note: you can prepare this recipe without cauliflower and use only mashed potatoes on top if you prefer.)
- Butter -vegan
- Milk - non-dairy
- Flour - all purpose (or cornstarch as a gluten-free option) for thickening gravy
- Stout beer (optional)
- Tomato - fresh or canned
- Peas - fresh, frozen or canned
- Rosemary - dried of fresh
- Oregano - dried or fresh
- Sage - dried or fresh
- Parsley - dried or fresh
- Thyme - dried or fresh
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Black pepper
NOTE: You can prepare this recipe without stout. See the printable recipe card below for more info.
🥕 Instructions
- Prepare and cut veggies.
2. Pour olive oil into a 4 qt or larger Dutch oven or heavy bottom sauce pan. Begin heating on stove at medium-high temperature.
3. Add leek, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir in ¼ teaspoon salt & ¼ teaspoon pepper. Sauté until tender, stirring frequently. Adjust heat as needed to prevent garlic from burning.
4. Add carrots, lentils and broth. Increase heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
5. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine flour with 4 oz stout beer (or ½ C water with 1 teaspoon vegan bouillon)
6. Pour into veggies and lentils, add tomatoes & peas. Stir until slightly thickened. Add herbs, thoroughly combine.
7. Spoon lentils/veggie mixture into oven proof ramekins, mini dutch or a baking dish.
8. Prepare mashed potato with cauliflower (See directions in the recipe card below)
9. Spoon mashed potato and cauliflower on top.
10. Place ramekins on a baking sheet (to catch liquid that may bubble over)Bake at 425° for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes become slightly browned.
11. Allow the Gardener's Pie to set for 10 - 15 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with a sprig of thyme or diced scallion.
Serving Tips
This recipe is so satisfying, it's basically a meal in itself! It also pairs deliciously with our orange balsamic roasted Brussels sprouts and simple savory herbed tofu. Enjoy a delicious Saint Patrick's Day celebration with gardener's pie served with a warm loaf of this easy vegan Irish soda bread.
🥕 Equipment
Here are the tools you may need to prepare this recipe
- 4 qt or larger dutch oven or stove top pot
- 3 qt saucepan
- Cutting board
- Kitchen knife
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Mesh strainer
- 4 oven-proof 8 oz (1 cup) ramekins, mini dutch ovens or one 32 oz (4 cup) oven-proof baking dish or cast iron skillet.
FAQ's
What can I substitute for stout beer in this recipe?
The traditional version of this dish often includes Stout beer as a liquid ingredient, which adds its own unique flavor. If you prefer not to use Stout or other beer, simply replace with ½ C hot water combined with ½ teaspoon vegan bouillon.
Should I use fresh or dried herbs in this recipe?
I love fresh herbs, but don't always have them on hand. Dried herbs often have a more concentrated, stronger flavor than fresh. If you use dried herbs, you might want to slightly decrease the amount you use to suit your taste.
What is the best way to store leftover gardener's pie?
Simply refrigerate (covered) up to three days. Reheat in a preheated 350℉ oven for at least 20 minutes or when you see the gravy bubbling around the edges. You can also reheat by microwaving, providing you use microwave-safe bakeware (not cast-iron).
Can I bake a Gardener's Pie in one dish?
Yes, you can! I recommend using a 32 ounce (4 cup) or larger oven-proof baking dish, pan, or cast iron skillet. It needs to be large enough to accomodate the filling and the mashed potato/cauliflower topping. I would suggest placing it on a foil covered baking sheet in case the gravy in the pie bubbles over. You might need to increase the baking time a bit since there will be a larger volume.
If you love this recipe ★★★★★ please be sure to rate it below! Sharing your experience lets me know that you enjoyed it and will help other readers decide if they should give the recipe a try too. Thanks a bunch!🥕
Recipe
Gardener's Pie (Vegan Shepherd's Pie)
Equipment
- 4 qt or larger dutch oven
- 3 qt saucepan
- Mesh strainer
- 4 oven-proof 8 oz (1 cup) ramekins, or one 32 oz (4 cup) oven-proof baking dish or cast iron skillet.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 lb mushrooms button or cremini - thinly sliced
- 1 small leek thinly sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 large carrots peeled & diced in ¾" cubes
- ½ C lentils green or brown - rinsed
- 1-¼ C vegetable broth
- 10 oz potatoes Russet or Yukon Gold - peeled/cubed
- 1-½ C cauliflower roughly chopped florets
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- ½ C non-dairy milk rice or soy
- 1-½ tbsp flour sifted
- 4 oz stout beer optional *🥕See notes below
- 1 tomato peeled/seeded/chopped
- ¾ C green peas fresh, frozen, or canned
- ½ teaspoon rosemary fresh - finely chopped or dried** 🥕See notes below
- ¼ teaspoon oregano fresh - finely chopped or dried**🥕See notes below
- ¼ teaspoon sage fresh - finely chopped or dried**🥕See notes below
- 1 teaspoon parsley fresh - finely chopped or dried**🥕See notes below
- ½ teaspoon thyme fresh - finely chopped or dried** 🥕See notes below
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper fresh ground
Instructions
- Pour olive oil into a 4 qt Dutch oven or heavy bottom sauce pan. Begin heating on stove at medium-high temperature.
- Add leek, garlic, and mushrooms. Stir in ¼ teaspoon salt & ¼ teaspoon pepper. Sauté until tender, stirring frequently. Adjust heat as needed to prevent garlic from burning.
- Add carrots, lentils and broth. Increase heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender.
- Preheat oven at 425°
- In a bowl or measuring cup, combine flour with 4 oz Stout (* or ½ C water with 1 teaspoon vegan bouillon)
- Pour into veggies and lentils, add tomatoes & peas. Stir until slightly thickened. Add herbs, thoroughly combine.
- Spoon lentils/veggie mixture into ramekins.
- Spoon mashed potato/cauliflower on top.
- Place ramekins or oven-proof pan on a baking sheet (to catch liquid that may bubble over)
- Bake at 425° for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes become slightly browned. If you are baking it in one dish, you might need to increase the baking time a few minutes to allow the topping to brown a bit more.
- Allow Shepherd's Pies to set for 10 - 15 minutes prior to serving. Garnish with a sprig of thyme or diced scallion.
Mashed Potato & Cauliflower Topping
- In a 3 qt or larger saucepan, cover potatoes and cauliflower in water & ¼ teaspoon salt. Cover, place on high until boiling. Lower heat to a rolling simmer until tender - approx 15 -20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and throughly drain.
- In a large bowl, combine potatoes, cauliflower, 1 tablespoon vegan butter, ½ teaspoon salt. Using a hand masher or electric mixer, begin mashing potatoes and cauliflower. Gradually add milk, a few tablespoons at a time, until desired consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Gillian Reynolds says
What does C mean in your recipes ,for example "half C of water". ? I am in Europe. Thank you.
Connie says
Hi Gillian, C means cup here in the US. So 1/2 cup of water equals approximately 120 grams in weight. I have a feature that allows you to switch from US Customary to Metric measurements. You'll find the button at the top of the ingredients list in the recipe card. I do wish we used metric weight measurements more often in the US - so much more practical & accurate!